Literally Translated From the Greek · page 21 2101235; while others make him a contemporary with Phædrus in the time of Augustus.102At whatever time he wrote his version of Æsop, by some strange accident it seems to have entirely disappeared, and to have been lost sight of.103His name is mentioned by Avienus; by Suidas, a celebrated critic, at the close of the eleventh century, who gives in his lexicon several isolated verses of his version of the fables; and by John Tzetzes, a grammarian and poet of Constantinople, who lived during the latter half of the twelfth century.104Nevelet, in the preface to the volume which we have described, points out that the Fables of Planudes could not be the work of Æsop, as they contain a reference in two places to “Holy monks,” and give a verse from the Epistle of St. James as an “Epimith” to one of the fables, and suggests Babrias as their author.105Francis Vavassor,[15] a learned French jesuit, entered at greater length on this subject, and produced further proofs from internal evidence, from the use of the word Piræus in describing the harbour of Athens, a name which was not given till two hundred years after Æsop, and from the introduction of other modern words, that many of these fables must have been at least committed to writing posterior to the time of Æsop, and more boldly suggests Babrias as their author or collector.106[16] These various references to Babrias induced Dr. Richard Bentley, at the close of the seventeenth century, to examine more minutely the existing versions of Æsop’s Fables, and he maintained that many of them could, with a slight change of words, be resolved into the Scazonic[17] iambics, in which Babrias is known to have written: and, with a greater freedom than the evidence then justified, he put forth, in behalf of Babrias, a claim to the exclusive authorship of these fables.107Such a seemingly extravagant theory, thus roundly asserted, excited much opposition.108Dr. Bentley[18] met with an able antagonist in a member of the University of Oxford, the Hon.109Mr. Charles Boyle,[19] afterwards Earl of Orrery.110Their letters and disputations on this subject, enlivened on both sides with much wit and learning, will ever bear a conspicuous place in the literary history of the seventeenth century.111The arguments of Dr. Bentley were yet further defended a few years later by Mr. Thomas Tyrwhitt, a well-read scholar, who gave up high civil distinctions that he might devote himself the more unreservedly to literary pursuits.112Mr. Tyrwhitt published, A.D.1131776, a Dissertation on Babrias, and a collection of his fables in choliambic metre found in a MS. in the Bodleian Library at Oxford.114Francesco de Furia, a learned Italian, contributed further testimony to the correctness of the supposition that Babrias had made a veritable collection of fables by printing from a MS. contained in the Vatican library several fables never before published.115In the year 1844, however, new and unexpected light was thrown upon this subject.116A veritable copy of Babrias was found in a manner as singular as were the MSS. of Quinctilian’s Institutes, and of Cicero’s Orations by Poggio in the monastery of St. Gall A.D.117 118M. Menoides, at the suggestion of M. Villemain, Minister of Public Instruction to King Louis Philippe, had been entrusted with a commission to search for ancient MSS., and in carrying out his instructions he found a MS. at the convent of St. Laura, on Mount Athos, which proved to be a copy of the long suspected and wished-for choliambic version of Babrias.119This MS. was found to be divided into two books, the one containing a hundred and twenty-five, and the other ninety-five fables.120This discovery attracted very general attention, not only as confirming, in a singular manner, the conjectures so boldly made by a long chain of critics, but as bringing to light valuable literary treasures tending to establish the reputation, and to confirm the antiquity and authenticity of the great mass of Æsopian Fable.121The Fables thus recovered were soon published.122They found a most worthy editor in the late distinguished Sir George Cornewall Lewis, and a translator equally qualified for his task, in the Reverend James Davies, M.A., sometime a scholar of Lincoln College, Oxford, and himself a relation of their English editor.123Thus, after an eclipse of many centuries, Babrias shines out as the earliest, and most reliable collector of veritable Æsopian Fables.124Having thus given a complete synopsis of the origin, descent, and history of these fables, it only remains to explain the reasons which have induced the Publishers to prepare a new edition of Æsop, and to state the grounds on which they hope to establish a claim for support and public approval in their undertaking.125They boldly assert that the new light thrown upon these fables by the discovery of the metrical version by Babrias, renders a new translation an inevitable necessity.126The two chief existing English versions of Æsop are those by Archdeacon Croxall, and by the late Rev. Thomas James, canon of Peterborough.127The first of these deviates so very far from the text, that it degenerates into a parody.128The fables are so padded, diluted, and altered, as to give very little idea to the reader either of the terseness or the meaning of the original.129The second of these is an improvement on its predecessor, but Mr. James, either out of compliance with the wishes of the publishers, or in condescension to the taste prevalent some twenty years ago, has so freely introduced as the point of the fable conventional English sayings which are not sanctioned by the Greek, and which in many instances are scarcely equivalent to it, that his version frequently approaches a paraphrase rather than a translation.130The Publishers therefore ground their first claim for public approval on the necessity of a new translation.131They trust further that their present work will have met that necessity in a satisfactory manner.132They have sought to give as nearly a literal translation as possible of the Greek text; and they hope that if the reader should miss the smoothness and thoroughly English tone which characterized the previous version of these fables, he will be more than repaid by gaining a nearer approach to the spirit, thoughts, and (in some cases) to the epigrammatic terseness of the original.133The Publishers trust to vindicate, on another ground, their claims to a share of public patronage.134They have inserted a hundred new fables, and they have the satisfaction of knowing that this edition, on which they have spared no pains nor cost, will afford a larger choice, and greater variety, to the numerous and increasing circle of the admirers of Æsopian Fables.135Whatever be the result of their labours, they will be content to have contributed towards promoting a wider acquaintance with fables, the wisdom, excellency, and wonderful suitableness of which to every condition of humanity has been attested and confirmed by the experience of so many generations; and which in all ages, amidst the ever changing fluctuations of human opinion, are adapted alike to amuse the young, and to instruct the thoughtful, and are well fitted to teach all who study them lessons useful for their guidance in every position of political, social, civil, or domestic life.136The Editor must claim the privilege of adding a few words on a matter personal to himself.137He has already within the last few months been connected with one edition of Æsop, and it may seem strange that he should be willing to undertake the superintendence of another.138His answer is, that the two works on which he has been engaged were totally distinct, and entirely independent of each other.139The first was a request to furnish new morals and applications to a definite number of fables; Ihe other was a commission to add a large number of additional fables and to make a wholly new translation.140The necessity of a new and improved translation the Editor then recognized, and would have willingly undertaken.141It was a wish he had much at heart, and when the proposal was voluntarily made to him by the present Publishers, to undertake the task of a new translation of an enlarged number of Æsop’s Fables, he saw no reason for refusing the offer because of his prior discharge of a totally different design; and he resolved to comply with the request submitted to him, and to do his best towards the attainment of so desirable an object as a purer translation and more literal rendering of fables so justly celebrated.142The following are the sources from which the present translation has been prepared:—143Babrii Fabulæ Æsopeæ.144George Cornewall Lewis.145Oxford, 1846.146Babrii Fabulæ Æsopeæ.147E codice manuscripto partem secundam edidit.148George Cornewall Lewis.149London: Parker, 1857.150Mythologica Æsopica.151Opera et studia Isaaci Nicholai Neveleti.152Frankfort, 1610.153Fabulæ Æsopiacæ, quales ante Planudem ferebantur cura et studio Francisci de Furia.154Lipsiæ, 1810.155Αἰσωπεὶων Μυθῶν Συναγωγή.156Ex recognitione Caroli Halmii.157Lipsiæ, 1851158Phædri Fabulæ Esopiæ.159Delphin Classics.160 1 2next →Life of Aesop↑ back to Three hundred Aesop’s fablesThis page in Markdown → https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg21/1/page/2/